Golf course lawn mower sharpener



July 27, 1937. s. w. SOLOMON GOLF COURSE LAWN MOWER SHARPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1936 W m 1 n w ww i 7 4 7 7 8 o o w mw W w a w w w y 1937. s. w. SOLOMON 2,083,538

GOLF COURSE LAWN MOWER SHARPENER Filed July 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 27, 1937 v I ztsasn PATENT OFFICE GOLF oounsn LAWN MOWER SHARPENE Simon W. Solomon, LakeAndes, S. Dak Application July 9, 1936, Serial No. 89,821

3 Claims.

This invention relates to lawn mower sharpeners, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and efficient means for sharpening the mower blades of a lawn mower, and more 5 particularly that typeof mower used for mowing golf courses and the like.

A further object of the invention is the production of a mower sharpening device wherein the mower is carried by a moving table in a man- .10 ner whereby the sharpening element may engage "the mower blade for sharpening the same without the necessity of disassembling the mower or removing the mower blades.

' Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims. In the drawings:- Figure 1 is aside elevation of the mower sharpening device; Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-'2 of Figure 1;

' Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section g3 taken on line '4'4' of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mower blade anchoring means;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the clamping channel illustrating the manner of supporting 30 the lower cutting knife when detached from the moweryand V Figure '7 is an end elevation of one of the supporting jacks for a golf course mower, the shaft of the mower being shown in section.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen .v that It] designates the base which constitutes a I pair of substantially parallel elongated rails ll whichrails are connected by means of transversely extending bracing beams or rails 12. The base If! supports a vertically extending or upright frame l3, which frame l3 consists of a pair- "of substantially parallel uprights M which are connected at their upper ends through the medium of a transversely extending top beam or L3 rail 15. .The vertical rails or uprights is may be secured in anysuitable or desired manner to the I base frame suchfor instance as through the medium of a mortice and tenon joint. A hanger frame 16 extends atright angles to the frame i3 50 and is carried near the upper end thereof, this hanger frame being braced through the medium of the-angle braces H, which angle braces H are secured at their lower ends to the uprights l4 and at their upper ends to; the under face of 55'the hanger frame IS The hanger frame It is (01. 5195) i also braced by means of the hanger braces l8 which are secured to the top rail id at one end and to the frame 56 at the other end. I

The frame l3 carries a plurality of bearings l9 which may be of roller or ball bearing type with- V in which bearings is mounted a driving shaft 20, the shaft 20 extending transversely of the frame l3. This driving shaft ZBcarries a clutch 2| preferably of the cone type, and a pulley 22 having'a clutching element 23 which is adapted to engage the clutch 2! for the purpose of rendering the shaft 2!! active or inactive as the clutch 2! is shifted. The clutch 2i carries a collar 24 which is engaged by a forked arm 25, the forked arm 25 being pivotally mounted upon a bracketg 26 carried by the frame l3. The arm 25 is bent to overhang the frame l3 and is provided with a handle 21 which is located preferably near the opposite side of the frame [3 with respect to the location of the pulley 22. A suitable hook brack-- et 28 is carried by the frame I3 adjacent the handle 21 whereby the free end of the arm may be engaged under the bracket 28 to limit the upward swing of the arm 25. The clutch 2! may be moved to a disengaging position to cause 25 the clutch engaging element 23 todisengage the clutch 2| by forcing the handle 21 downwardly, in this way cutting off the power from the shaft 20. A suitable driving belt 29 actuates the pulley 22 from a suitableline shaft or other power; 30 medium;

A grinding wheel supporting frame 30 is hun for swinging movement upon the shaft 20 and comprises a pair of supporting members 3| which converge toward each other near their outer ends and support a grinding wheel carrying shaft 32 upon which is mounted a grinding wheel 33, such as an emery wheel or a wheel of suitable character. A guard 34 is carried adjacent the wheel 33. This shaft 32 also carries a driving pulley 35 over which a driving belt 36 passes, the driving belt 36 also passing over a driving belt 31 carried by the shaft 20. This grinding wheel supporting frame 30 is journaled upon the shaft 20 at its rear end so as to allow the frame 30 to be swung upwardly or downwardly, and'this frame carries a suspending bar 38 which extends vertically and is connected to a chain 39 carried by the angularly extending end All of the controlling lever M, which lever 4| is provided 0 with a handle 42; the lever M being journaled upon the frame I3, as illustrated. Bythe operation of the handle 42 it will be seen that the outer end of the frame 30 may be raised and lowered by swingingthe handle 42 in the direction and to a suitable distance to suit the convenience of the operator to bring the grinding wheel 33 into and out of operation. A threaded rod .13 is pivotally connected to the frame 38 at its lower end and extends upwardly through a guiding plate A l carried by the frame 1 6 and a threaded wing nut of suitable design 45, is threaded upon the upper end of the rod 43 and this nut is adjustable to limit the downward movement of the frame 36 and to limit the depth of the cut of the grind ing wheel 33.

The base I!) carries a pair of transversely extending substantially parallel rail supporting beams it upon which are, mounted rails 31. for supporting the rollers 48 of the work table 59. An actuating cable 58 is secured to the table at its ends, as at 5!, and this,..actuating cable Ellis looped around the grooved pulley '52 mounted below the table and carried by the E'shaftj53 mounted within the bearing 54 which may be of roller or ball bearing type. A driving gear 55 is also carried by the shaft 53 and meshes with the pinion 56 carried by the shaft 51, which shaft 51 also passes through a bearing 53 similar to the bearing 54. A supporting frame 59 is carried by the transverse beams or rails I2 of the frame l0, and the rear end of the shaft 51 extends through a bearing 60 carried by the frame 59 similar to the bearings 54, and 58, the rear end of the shaft 51 also carrying a beveled pinion or gear 6i.

A transmission shaft 62 is journaled upon the bearing 63.01 the ball bearing or roller bearing typecarried by the frame 59 and this shaft 62 carries a drive pulley 64 which is driven from a belt 65, which belt 65 is in turn driven by a pulley 63 carried by the shaft 28. The shaft 82 extends transversely of the frame 59 and is provided with a squared or rectangularshank 67, upon which shank are mounted the transmission beveled gears, 68 and 69, the respective gears being suitably engaged by the shifting fork NJ, which fork is provided with an arm H passing through a bracket 12. An operating rod 13 engages the arm 'l! and in turn is connected to an operating lever is mounted upon the frame [3, the lever being provided with a suitable dog for engaging the quadrant 15 whereby the lever may be locked in a set position. By swinging the lever 74 in the desired direction, the gears 68 and 69 may be selectively shifted into or out of mesh with the pinion 6! for regulating the direction of drive of the shaft 51 or, if desired, the gears 68 and 69 may be moved to a neutral position out of engagement with the pinion 6| The table 49 carries a clamping member, clamp or tray 15 which rests upon its top face, for receiving the wheels of a mower, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and this mower clamping member preferably comprises a channel member having flared flanges 71, the clamp- 76 extending longitudinally of the table 49 or transversely of the frame 18. A clamping bar'80 extends longitudinally of the clamp l6 and is adapted to extend through the wheels of the mower, as shown in Figure 3. Bolts 8! engage the ends of the bar 8t and secure the same to the table 39. The mower may be tied to, or anchored in any suitable or desired manner to, the table should additional securing means be desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The knife reelmay be swung. freely to bring the'mower blades into contact with the grinding wheel 33.

The clamp 76 may be used as a holder for the lower cutting knife of the mower and the lower cingthe mower knife, the "lower cutting knife being of course first removed fromthe mower while grinding. i In Figure '7, I have shown a modified type of support for, a mower in the nature of a jack for fitting under the'sh'aft of the mower reel particularly designed for supporting the multiple golf course mower. A plurality of these supports or jacks are used and an upstanding axle supporting arm :83 :having a dished upper end for receiving the axle 84 of the mower 85.

The operation of the device is as follows:- The present device has been especially designed for sharpening golf course lawn mowers, but it may be utilized for sharpening other types 'of mowers, or other types of devices without departing from the spirit of the invention. When sharpening mower blades, it is not necessary to dismount the same from the mower, and the mower may be placed on the table such for instance, as in the manner shown'in Figurev 1, and the mower wheels clamped by the clamping bar 80 within the clamping member .16. ."The clutch arm is then actuatedto move the parts to a position for driving the shaft'20' and the lever I4 is actuated to cause the table 49Iiii0 move in the desired direction whereby the mower blade maybe drawn transversely across thepath of rotation of the grinding wheel 33, the grinding wheel 33 being dropped into position .over.:the blade to be sharpened, in the manner-shown in Figure 1 by moving the handle 42 of the lever in the desired direction, and the contact can be controlled by the operator adjusting theghandle 42 whereby the 'frame'3ll will be brought into and out of engagement with-the mower blade. The weight of the grinding wheel 33 and the frame 30 will cause sufficient pressure of the grinding wheel upon the blades to be ground. When the table 49 has reached its limit in one direction, the operator may shift the lever '14 in am anner as to either out off the power by moving the gears 68 and '69 to a neutral position or reversing the direction of travel to cause the table to move in the opposite direction and draw the blade transversely across the face of the grinding wheel. This operation may be continued until the blade has been suitably sharpened and then an additional blade may be brought into proper position.

Having described. the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mower sharpener of the class described comprising a base, an upright frame carried by the base, a grinding wheel supporting frame journaled upon said upright frame for vertical swinging movement, a grinding wheel carried by said grinding wheel frame, means for driving the grinding wheel, an operating lever journaled .upon said upright frame and having means for means for limiting the downward movement of said grinding wheel supporting frame.

2. In a mower sharpener, a base, a carriage movable across said base, a supporting frame rising from said base, a drive shaft extending transversely across said frame and rotatably mounted, a grinder frame pivoted upon said shaft and extending horizontally from said supporting frame over said carriage, a rotary grinder carried by the grinder frame over the carriage, a hanger frame extending from said supporting frame over the grinder frame and firmly secured, a rocker shaft extending transversely of the hanger frame, an arm extending from said rocker shaft, a link connecting said arm with said grinder frame, means for turning the rocker shaft and swinging the arm to vertically adjust the grinder frame, adjustable means for limiting downward movement of the grinder frame, means for transmitting rotary motion from the drive shaft to said grinder, means for reciprocating the carriage, and means for securing a mower upon the carriage in position under the grinder whereby blades of the mower may be engaged and sharpened by the grinder during reciprocation of the carriage.

3. In a mower sharpener, a base, a carriage movable across said base, a supporting frame rising from said base, a drive shaft journaled across said frame, a grinder frame pivoted upon said shaft and extending over said carriage, means carried by said supporting frame for adjusting the grinder frame vertically and supporting the same in an adjusted position, means for limiting downward movement of the grinder frame, a rotary grinder carried by the grinder frame and rotated from the drive shaft, a troughshaped strip extending across said carriage, means for securing wheels of a mower in the trough-shaped strip, clamps carried by side flanges of the trough-shaped strip for engaging a blade of a mower and holding a blade in position under the grinder, a driven shaft rotatably carried by said base, means actuated from said driven shaft for shifting the carriage across the base under the grinder when the driven shaft is rotated, a counter shaft rotatably carried by said base, means for transmitting rotary motion from the drive shaft to the counter shaft, and means for transmitting rotary motion from the counter shaft to the driven shaft and controlling directional rotation of the driven shaft.

SIMON W. SOLOMON. 

